Beauty, Mercy, Justice

Jordan’s Last Christian Villages

The Hijazine clan is Christian, as are all residents of Smakieh and the nearby village of Hmoud. The two villages represent the last entirely Christian settlements in Jordan.

In Jordan, Christians and Muslims generally coexist peacefully. In the Kerak plateau, relations among Christians of various denominations and Muslims are particularly warm — in part because most residents share similar tribal ancestries.“We’ve celebrated, we’ve married, we’ve died together,” says Father ‘Adil Mdanat, the Orthodox priest in Ader. “Even the Muslims call me ‘Father.’

“Our life here is very, very good,” he adds. “Our future is good. People are leaving from here because of their dreams and their work.”